New Horizon's Mandie: her college days book 6
by ILoveMandieBooks
Summary: The summer after Mandie's first year at Rush Medical College.
1. Author's note

Note:

Are you freaking out? I finally posted another book! Lol… I bet you're excited….

Just a few things….

What do you think will happen to Mandie in her second year of medical school? What would you like to see happen to her? I won't know unless you review! Speaking of reviews…

My last book got 28 reviews! Wow…. That's amazing. First of all, thank you all so much. You have been amazing. Second of all, do you think you could make this one just as successful? If…

You have any constructive criticism

You have something specific you liked

You loved it

You liked it

You have questions

Review! Pretty please? You'd make me very happy. ;D

For those of you who actually read this, thank you. For those of you who didn't, well…. FINE THEN! Be that way. Lol.

Anyway….

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this. ;D

~ILoveMandieBooks

P.S. This book might not be updated that often.


	2. Chapter one Surprise

Amanda Shaw buttoned her blouse as she walked down the stairs. Once she was downstairs she opened the front door, shouted, "Bye!" and stepped out onto the front porch. A warm summer's breeze played with curls as she walked across the lawn...

Fresh from her first year at Rush medical college, Mandie couldn't remember the last time she'd worn a dress. Because of the dress code at the school Mandie had gotten used to wearing Levi's and T-shirts, unless she was going to bed, because she still wore a nightgown to bed. The only other time Mandie was allowed to wear a dress was when she went the theater, which she hadn't done since her date with Jacob Walkingstick the previous year. Because she had no escort and because she had so much homework, Mandie hadn't gone to the theater that year...

Mandie had only returned from medical school the day before. Today, on her birthday, her family was treating her to supper. They were waiting for her in the barn.

When she got to the barn, she was greeted with a loud course of "Surprise!" She stood there, dumbstruck, and took the scene in.

Everyone was there. Her mother, Uncle John, Carol and Carl, Mr. and Mrs. Woodard, Joe, Mrs. Hamilton, Rebecca, Molly, Celia, Mrs. Cornwallis, Polly, Uncle Ned, Morning Star, Uncle Wirt, Jacob, Sallie, Dimar, Lizy, Hilary, Grace, Mary Lou, Aunt Lou, Jenny, Abraham, Jason Bond, Liza, Mr. Guyer and Jonathan. There was a banner that read "Happy 20th Birthday Mandie!"

And the party began. There was music and dancing and Mandie was overwhelmed. After greeting as many people as she could, Mandie went to the refreshment table for some punch. She smiled at the gigantic chocolate cake that Aunt Lou made for her.

She took a sip of punch and turned to the dance floor. She almost choked. There, dancing was Celia and Jonathan.

Then, someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned around. Joe Woodard stood before her.

"Joe!" she squealed. She sat down her punch and hugged him. Everything was a lot better between them now.

She pulled away. He was looking her up and down.

"What?" she asked.

"Is showing your legs Chicago thing?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

Mandie looked down. Her dress stopped a little below her knees. She looked at him.

"Now Joe," she said, "it's not like showing my legs is unladylike."

He shrugged, "I guess not." Then he smiled, "But you're very pale."

Mandie blushed and crossed her legs, trying to hide them. Joe laughed and grabbed her arm.

"It's fine. You look beautiful."

Mandie blushed harder, "Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Calling me beautiful," she said, "I thought we were just friends."

"We are. Can't I call you beautiful?"

"No," she said firmly.

"Alright," said Joe, "anyway, Happy Birthday." Then he walked away.

"Thanks," Mandie murmured. She sighed.


	3. Contents

Hello, lovelies. ;) Sorry, I don't have a chapter written for you right now. But, I have an unofficial contents page. Please tell me what you think:

~Contents~  
>1.) Surprise<p>

2.) A Night with the Girls

3.) Back to Ashville

4.) Stories

5.) Rumor

6.) Visitor

7.) Bewildered

8.) Jealous

9.) Together Again

10.) Solved

11.) Party

Like I said, this is unofficial. But, this is what it's looking like so far.

Thank you for reading! Please tell me what you think.

Love,

ILoveMandieBooks


	4. Chapter two Etiquette

Hey! ;)

Forgive me for the long wait. I have other stories in mind and couldn't help but thinking of them instead. Besides, I wanted this chapter to be amazing! ;)

Update:

I'm thinking that New Horizons: Mandie Her College Days Book 7 will be the last of this series. I _might _continue _in the future_ (meaning after I write some other stories) with a character (not Mandie). And after this series I might write something called Mandie: Extras with One-Shots and character info (on the characters that are mine). But if I do write for another character and Mandie: Extras it probably won't be for a long time because there are other stories I want to write.

Thank you. -ILoveMandieBooks-

Chapter Two: Etiquette

Mandie stood alone, lost in thought.

"Happy Birthday, Mandie!"

Mandie looked up at the bright, happy voice, and smiled. "Thank you, Celia," she said, hugging her friend. "When were you going to tell me about you and Jonathan?"

She knew Celia was blushing, but before she could say anything, Mrs. Taft called from the other side of the barn, "Amanda, Celia- a word please!"

Mandie and Celia walked over to her table and sat down.

"Celia," Mrs. Taft began, "Elizabeth told me you've planned for Amanda to stay at your house for the summer."

"Yes," said Celia, smiling. Then, she looked a little irritated, "I want to see her before she runs away again."

"What do you mean by that, Celia?" Mandie asked, frowning.

"Never mind," she said, looking down.

"Anyway," said Mrs. Taft, "the Misses Heathwood's School for Girls is having a foreign exchange student program this summer."

Mandie and Celia frowned at each other.

"They want you, Celia, to teach the students piano," Mrs. Taft explained.

Celia gasped in delight, "Yes, yes, yes!"

"But, grandmother-" Mandie began to protest.

"And they've asked Amanda to teach etiquette," said Mrs. Taft.

Celia's smile disappeared. Then, she began to laugh.

"Mandie, teach an etiquette class?" she laughed.

Mandie burned with rage. Of course, etiquette wasn't her thing, but Celia had a lot of nerve to laugh at her!

"Why not," said Mandie, turning to her grandmother. Celia stopped laughing. "I'd-" she tried to think of a word- "find pleasure in teaching foreign exchange students etiquette."

"Fantastic," said Mrs. Taft, smiling. "We leave in two days."


	5. Chapter three The Moonlit Walk

3)

Mandie couldn't sleep the night before she left for Ashville. After a few hours of tossing and turning, she finally gave up and decided to go for a walk.

The night was cool with a soft breeze that felt good on her face. After a while, she heard a voice come out of the dark. "Mandie."

She jumped and spun around. She sighed with relief when she saw Joe walking toward her.

"You shouldn't be walking around by yourself in the dark," he said with a grin.

"Well, you should be walking around scaring me in the dark!" she snapped in a whisper. The she laughed quietly and turned around.

Joe reached her side and said, "I need to talk to you."

"Oh?" she said, looking down, only half paying attention.

"Your mother doesn't seem happy about Miss Prudence asking you to teach the etiquette class."

Mandie frowned. "Why?" she asked.

"Well," he began, "she seems to think that Miss Prudence doesn't really want you to teach the etiquette class. She reckons she just wants to evaluate you on your social graces."

Mandie gasped in indignation. "First Celia and now Miss Prudence? Does anyone have faith in me?"

"Who cares?" asked Joe. "Besides, I like you better when you're a doctor than when you're pretending to be ladylike."

"Really?" Mandie asked. "I thought you didn't approve of me being a doctor..."

He laughed, "I guess I should've known."

"What?"  
>"That you'd want to do man's work."<p>

They both laughed. Then he looked at her seriously. "But really, Mandie, I should've supported you when you wanted to be a doctor. I'm really sorry I acted the way I did."

"It's okay, Joe," said Mandie softly. "I forgive you."

There was a moment of silence, and then Joe sighed. "This doesn't change anything, does it?" he asked.

Mandie looked at him and said, "No. Not yet at least."

But something did change between them that night, because afterward Mandie knew that they could be real friends again or maybe something more...


	6. Chapter four Back to Asheville

Chapter Four- Back to Asheville

"Mandie! Mandie, wake up, we're here!" Celia said excitedly as she shook her friend awake. Mandie woke with a start, hardly believing that she had slept through the entire train ride to Asheville. It felt as if she had just closed her eyes on Celia, babbling incoherently about how excited she was, and yet, here they were…

Mandie had been used to getting up early when she lived with her father in Charley Gap. But, she had never been up half of the night talking to Joe in those days.

It had been three o' clock when they finally said goodnight, and only reluctantly then. Mandie suddenly felt like he was the easiest person in the world to talk to, and she hadn't wanted to stop. And that was why she now stepped onto the platform groggily, yawning, only to feel wide awake a second later.

The Misses Heathwood's School for Girls' old Negro servant, Uncle Cal, had come to pick them up from the train station. Mandie and Celia ran to him, embracing him in turn. The man turned red and muttered hello.

"Amanda, Celia!" came Mrs. Taft's reproving voice. "Here you are, running around like barbarians, flinging your arms around old men, when you are supposed to be setting an example for young ladies!" Mandie and Celia, however, weren't listening, for they had already set off after Uncle Cal, bombarding him with questions as he went to get their luggage.

"How is Aunt Phoebe?" asked Mandie.

"Mighty fine, Miss 'Manda. Very excited to have you girls back."

"Has the school changed at all?" asked Celia.

"Not much. `Though we have got them fancy new telephone's everyone's been talkin' `bout."

It wasn't long after that when Uncle Cal helped them into the buggy and set off toward the school. When it came into view, Mandie sighed. This was the place where she had been subjected to learning social graces, and now, three years later, she was here to teach other young ladies them.

But, she didn't think about this anymore when she saw that Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Cal's wife, was on the porch waiting for them. And then, a lot of things happened in just a few second.

Mandie and Celia jumped from the buggy and ran to Aunt Phoebe; Mrs. Taft scolded them again; Aunt Phoebe told Mandie and Celia it was just like having Jane and Elizabeth back and then asked Mandie how school was going; and then Miss Prudence came out.

"Amanda- Celia- lovely to see you again. Before you get settled in, I'd like a word in my office."


	7. Note

Hey! I didn't write an author's note in my last chapter so there's two thing I wanted to share with you...

First of all, sorry if my black dialect isn't that good.

Second of all, I do have two other chapters written, I just have to proofread them, so the wait shouldn't be that long.

I'm very excited for you guys to the rest of this book and I hope you review!

~ILoveMandieBooks


	8. Chapter five The Warning

Chapter Five- The Warning

Mandie's heart beat wildly as Miss Prudence closed the door to her office. _What on earth could she want? _She thought sitting with bated breath as the schoolmistress took a seat behind her desk. And then Miss Prudence… smiled?

"Welcome back, girls," she said warmly. Mandie frowned.

"Thank you, Miss Prudence," said Celia with a smile. Mandie looked over at her friend to see that she had her legs crossed, gloved hands folded in her lap, and shoulders held in perfect posture. Then she realized that she was slouching. As Celia told Miss Prudence how school was going, Mandie threw back her shoulders and crossed her legs.

After that, Miss Prudence cleared her throat. "So, ladies," she began, still smiling, "I've called you up here so that we can discuss a few things about this summer. First off," her smile disappeared, "if I catch either of you chasing after some mystery, you will both be stripped of your positions and sent home. Understood?"

The atmosphere had gone from friendly to tense in a matter of seconds, and Mandie and Celia exchanged quick, wide eyed glances.

"Of course!" Celia exclaimed to Miss Prudence, still wide eyed.

"And you, Amanda?" asked Miss Prudence, narrowing her eyes at Mandie. "Are we clear?" Mandie remembered what Joe had told her the night before and became furious.

"Crystal," she said coldly.

For a moment, Miss Prudence and her glared at each other. And then, Miss Prudence's smile returned and she said, "All right then. Now," she opened one of the drawers in her desk and handed both of them a small gold key and a folder, "these folders contain all the information you'll need on the program, and classes start tomorrow morning at 8 o' clock. This is the key to your room, which is the last door in the staff's quarters. Any questions?"

Mandie and Celia shook their heads and Miss Prudence dismissed them. After they exited the office they flew down the stairs, and were within a few feet of their room when they collided with another woman, sending paper and pictures flying everywhere.

"Sorry, sorry!" Mandie and Celia both kept saying as they started picking up the papers, not even looking to see who the woman was. When Mandie had finished picking up her own papers, she grabbed a photograph off of the ground for the woman. She stood up and found herself face to face with her old rival.

"April!" Mandie exclaimed. Celia, who was still picking up papers, looked up at them, gaping.

"Amanda, Celia," she said curtly, snatching the photograph out of Mandie's hands.

"Are you here to teach?" asked Mandie, helping Celia up off the ground.

"Yes. Home economics," said April boredly. She showed them the photograph that Mandie had been holding. "They thought I'd be perfect for the job since I'm married with a daughter now. Elisa May Stuart- Ellie."

Mandie and Celia gaped at the picture. "You and George got married?" asked Mandie, closing her mouth.

"Yes, a couple of years ago. Ellie's in Charleston with his parents, since we're both teaching at the moment. He's at Mr. Chadwick's School for Boys' foreign exchange student program."

After saying goodbye to April, Mandie and Celia went into their new room, thankful that her daughter would be years older than theirs, and would probably never go to school with them.


	9. Chapter six The First Etiquette Class

Chapter Six- The First Etiquette Class

Twenty one girls of British nationality were in the foreign exchange student program, each to be taught piano, etiquette, and home economics. Mandie was to teach seven different girls at three different times: after breakfast, after dinner, and before supper.

She and Celia stood in the hallway five minutes before class started. She took a deep breath.

"Good luck," she told Celia.

"You too," Celia replied, looking nervous. "I'll see you afterward." Then they turned and went in opposite directions, walking to their own classrooms.

Mandie stopped in the doorway of hers and looked around. This was the same room that she had learned social graces in when she was younger, and it still looked the same, except for the fact that there were less chairs. She walked around and sighed.

What was she doing here? She had to ask herself. She hated social graces; always had, always would. Why had she ever agreed to teach the class?

The bell rang as Mandie sat down behind her desk. A few seconds later, four girls walked into the room, and two others followed them.

She cleared her throat and the one she recognized as June looked at her.

"What?" the girl snapped.

Mandie's temper rose, but she remembered the page on patience in the folder Miss Prudence had given her. "There's a seating chart on the wall," she replied sweetly, and all the girls crowded around it.

The seating chart wasn't technically required, but Mandie thought she'd need it, considering she and Celia had only memorized all of the girls' names because of their cliques and/or rivalries…

June was the leader of one of the cliques. The other members were March, April, and Mae.

Mandie had thought that since the girls who were named after months were friends, then the girls who were named after flowers (Rose, Lily, Mary ("Marigold"), Violet, Tuly ("Tulip"), and Daisy) would be friends too. But it turned out that the only thing that the girls who were named for flowers had in common was that they hated the girls who were named for months, and they only liked each other when they were complaining about these girls or pulling pranks on them.

Mandie had March, April, Mae, June, Rose, and Violet in this class. She didn't want Rose and Violet anywhere near the girls who were named for months...or each other for that matter. So she placed the girls who were named for months in the first four chairs in front, Rose in the first chair in the back, and Violet in the last chair. The last girl in the class would sit between them, but she hadn't shown up yet. When she did, Mandie frowned as she tried to remember her name. She had to consult the list of students in the first class and read the last name on the slot: Allison Beth O'Brian. She remembered a short girl hiding behind her hair in the backyard. Today, she had her hair clipped back, but still hid behind it as she sat down.

The second bell rang and Mandie jumped. Allison looked up and all the other girls stopped talking, looking at her attentively.

Mandie cleared her throat. "Good morning, girls," she said with a smile.

"Good morning," they coursed.

"Today I'm going to teach you how to walk like a lady," she began, "and you'll do learn this by balancing a book on your head."

Violet raised her hand and Mandie nodded at her.

"Is this actually important?" Violet asked.

Mandie stiffened and Allison smiled to herself. In the back of her mind, Mandie remembered another page in the folder: Honesty. She cleared her throat again, and tried to find an answer.

"It's important in the world of social graces," she said finally, smiling. "Anymore questions?"


End file.
